Tips for New Year's Eve, Christmas, Beef, Ground Beef, and Lamb

What Does the Name 'Christmas' Mean and What Is the Meaning of Christmas?

How Can We Celebrate Christmas?

How to Thaw Beef

How to Freeze Beef

How to Store Beef

How to Pick Ground Beef

How to Thaw Ground Beef

How to Pick Lamb

How to Freeze Lamb

How to Thaw Lamb

Tip

When Is New Year's Eve?

New Year's Eve is on Dec. 31. This year, New Year's Eve falls on a Sunday.

Tip

What Is New Year's Eve?

New Year's Eve is the last day of the year on the Gregorian calendar.

Tip

How to Celebrate New Year's Eve

New Year's Eve is typically celebrated with a party that culminates in a countdown. Many people drink champagne, dance, enjoy music, and light fireworks. Various "good luck foods" like black-eyed peas and grapes are also served to ring in the new year. In the U.S., the old Scottish song "Auld Lang Syne" is sung as partygoers exchange hugs and kisses at midnight.

Tip

Who Celebrates New Year's Eve?

Anyone can celebrate New Year's Eve if they follow the Gregorian calendar.

Tip

Why Do We Celebrate New Year's Eve on Dec. 31?

Dec. 31 is the last day of the Gregorian calendar. It precedes Jan. 1, the first day of a new year (New Year's Day).

Tip

Why Do We Celebrate Christmas on Dec. 25?

There are several reasons Christmas is celebrated on Dec. 25. The date is nine months after March 25, a day recognized by Christians as Annunciation. It was the day Mary was told she would was having a baby. The nine months that follow are an approximation of Jesus’ birth. Dec. 25 also coincides with pagan Winter Solstice celebrations like Saturnalia' and Dies Natalis Solis Invicti. Since they were historically celebrated around that time of year there was precedent for holiday festivities during this time of year.

Tip

What Does the Name 'Christmas' Mean and What Is the Meaning of Christmas?

Christmas is a shortened from the words “Christ’s mass.” It’s derived from the Middle English word "Cristemasse" which has Greek, Hebrew and Latin origins. Christmas is an annual holiday that honors the birth of Jesus Christ. It is celebrated by Christians around the world and is regarded as an important religious and cultural holiday.

Tip

How Can We Celebrate Christmas?

Christmas is traditionally celebrated in many ways and celebrations vary across cultures. In the days leading up to Christmas, people usually put up special decorations including colorful lights and evergreen trees. Gifts are often placed under the tree and exchanged on Christmas day among loved ones. Large meals are also typically served as part of the celebration as well.

Tip

How to Thaw Beef

As with most meat, the safest way to thaw beef is in the refrigerator. Small cuts of beef can take up to 24 hours, while larger slabs can take a few days. If you’re in a pinch, frozen beef can be thawed in a bowl or container of lukewarm water. Place the bowl or container in the sink and leave under a running faucet. Never allow raw beef to thaw or sit on a counter or cutting board. Since it takes longer to thaw than most meats, it is more susceptible to bacteria growth.

Tip

How to Freeze Beef

In order to effectively freeze beef, you’ll want to limit its exposure to air. This not only prevents the production of freezer burn, but also extends its shelf life to three months or longer. The best way to package beef is to wrap it tightly in freezer paper or plastic wrap. You should then wrap the meat in a layer of aluminum foil or place it in a plastic bag.

Tip

How to Store Beef

For ground beef, keep refrigerated and use within one to two days. It can stay in its original container if the packaging hasn’t been opened. Steaks follow the same protocol, but can last a bit longer at three to five days. It’s actually best to allow a little airflow with stored meat, as tightly-adhered plastic like Saran wrap can make meat sweat and, as a result, less tender. Meat can be transferred to plastic containers, but should be covered loosely.

Never refrigerate raw meat if it’s been sitting out beyond two hours.

Tip

How to Pick Ground Beef

The possibilities with ground beef are seemingly endless, though you’ll probably want to pay the most attention to cost and fat content. Naturally, the lower the fat content, the higher the price. A leaner meat; however, may not taste as moist and flavorful, so keep that in mind if you’re making a meal that’s prone to dryness (like meatloaf or hamburgers). Sometimes the extra fat can make or break a dish.

Tip

How to Thaw Ground Beef

Like other meats, the best way to thaw ground beef is to leave it in the refrigerator. If you’re in a pinch, take out your frozen meat and place it on a plate under running cold water. A microwave may also work, but it is likely to start cooking your meat, which you’ll want to avoid.

Tip

How to Pick Lamb

Lamb is readily available in most supermarkets. The freshest lamb will have soft pink and red flesh with marbling throughout. Avoid anything that looks grey in color.

Tip

How to Freeze Lamb

Wrap the lamb in it in its original packaging, airtight, with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. From there, you can also place the meat in an airtight freezer bag to prevent freezer burn. Chops and loins fare best when wrapped individually.

Tip

How to Thaw Lamb

Lamb can be defrosted in three ways. As with most meat, refrigeration is the most effective, albeit slowest method. Lamb meat defrosted in the fridge can actually be re-frozen before or after cooking, though there may be a loss of moisture. If you're in a pinch, lamb can be defrosted in the microwave, or placed in a bowl of cold water (which should be replaced every 30 minutes).

New Year's Eve is on Dec. 31. This year, New Year's Eve falls on a Sunday.

Read More

1 of 16

Next: What Is New Year's Eve?

Tip

What Is New Year's Eve?

New Year's Eve is the last day of the year on the Gregorian calendar.

Read More

2 of 16

Next: How to Celebrate New Year's Eve

Tip

How to Celebrate New Year's Eve

New Year's Eve is typically celebrated with a party that culminates in a countdown. Many people drink champagne, dance, enjoy music, and light fireworks. Various "good luck foods" like black-eyed peas and grapes are also served to ring in the new year. In the U.S., the old Scottish song "Auld Lang Syne" is sung as partygoers exchange hugs and kisses at midnight.

Read More

3 of 16

Next: Who Celebrates New Year's Eve?

Tip

Who Celebrates New Year's Eve?

Anyone can celebrate New Year's Eve if they follow the Gregorian calendar.

Read More

4 of 16

Next: Why Do We Celebrate New Year's Eve on Dec. 31?

Tip

Why Do We Celebrate New Year's Eve on Dec. 31?

Dec. 31 is the last day of the Gregorian calendar. It precedes Jan. 1, the first day of a new year (New Year's Day).

Read More

5 of 16

Next: Why Do We Celebrate Christmas on Dec. 25?

Tip

Why Do We Celebrate Christmas on Dec. 25?

There are several reasons Christmas is celebrated on Dec. 25. The date is nine months after March 25, a day recognized by Christians as Annunciation. It was the day Mary was told she would was having a baby. The nine months that follow are an approximation of Jesus’ birth. Dec. 25 also coincides with pagan Winter Solstice celebrations like Saturnalia' and Dies Natalis Solis Invicti. Since they were historically celebrated around that time of year there was precedent for holiday festivities during this time of year.

Read More

6 of 16

Next: What Does the Name 'Christmas' Mean and What Is the Meaning of Christmas?

Tip

What Does the Name 'Christmas' Mean and What Is the Meaning of Christmas?

Christmas is a shortened from the words “Christ’s mass.” It’s derived from the Middle English word "Cristemasse" which has Greek, Hebrew and Latin origins. Christmas is an annual holiday that honors the birth of Jesus Christ. It is celebrated by Christians around the world and is regarded as an important religious and cultural holiday.

Read More

7 of 16

Next: How Can We Celebrate Christmas?

Tip

How Can We Celebrate Christmas?

Christmas is traditionally celebrated in many ways and celebrations vary across cultures. In the days leading up to Christmas, people usually put up special decorations including colorful lights and evergreen trees. Gifts are often placed under the tree and exchanged on Christmas day among loved ones. Large meals are also typically served as part of the celebration as well.

Read More

8 of 16

Next: How to Thaw Beef

Tip

How to Thaw Beef

As with most meat, the safest way to thaw beef is in the refrigerator. Small cuts of beef can take up to 24 hours, while larger slabs can take a few days. If you’re in a pinch, frozen beef can be thawed in a bowl or container of lukewarm water. Place the bowl or container in the sink and leave under a running faucet. Never allow raw beef to thaw or sit on a counter or cutting board. Since it takes longer to thaw than most meats, it is more susceptible to bacteria growth.

Read More

9 of 16

Next: How to Freeze Beef

Tip

How to Freeze Beef

In order to effectively freeze beef, you’ll want to limit its exposure to air. This not only prevents the production of freezer burn, but also extends its shelf life to three months or longer. The best way to package beef is to wrap it tightly in freezer paper or plastic wrap. You should then wrap the meat in a layer of aluminum foil or place it in a plastic bag.

Read More

10 of 16

Next: How to Store Beef

Tip

How to Store Beef

For ground beef, keep refrigerated and use within one to two days. It can stay in its original container if the packaging hasn’t been opened. Steaks follow the same protocol, but can last a bit longer at three to five days. It’s actually best to allow a little airflow with stored meat, as tightly-adhered plastic like Saran wrap can make meat sweat and, as a result, less tender. Meat can be transferred to plastic containers, but should be covered loosely.

Never refrigerate raw meat if it’s been sitting out beyond two hours.

Read More

11 of 16

Next: How to Pick Ground Beef

Tip

How to Pick Ground Beef

The possibilities with ground beef are seemingly endless, though you’ll probably want to pay the most attention to cost and fat content. Naturally, the lower the fat content, the higher the price. A leaner meat; however, may not taste as moist and flavorful, so keep that in mind if you’re making a meal that’s prone to dryness (like meatloaf or hamburgers). Sometimes the extra fat can make or break a dish.

Read More

12 of 16

Next: How to Thaw Ground Beef

Tip

How to Thaw Ground Beef

Like other meats, the best way to thaw ground beef is to leave it in the refrigerator. If you’re in a pinch, take out your frozen meat and place it on a plate under running cold water. A microwave may also work, but it is likely to start cooking your meat, which you’ll want to avoid.

Read More

13 of 16

Next: How to Pick Lamb

Tip

How to Pick Lamb

Lamb is readily available in most supermarkets. The freshest lamb will have soft pink and red flesh with marbling throughout. Avoid anything that looks grey in color.

Read More

14 of 16

Next: How to Freeze Lamb

Tip

How to Freeze Lamb

Wrap the lamb in it in its original packaging, airtight, with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. From there, you can also place the meat in an airtight freezer bag to prevent freezer burn. Chops and loins fare best when wrapped individually.

Read More

15 of 16

Next: How to Thaw Lamb

Tip

How to Thaw Lamb

Lamb can be defrosted in three ways. As with most meat, refrigeration is the most effective, albeit slowest method. Lamb meat defrosted in the fridge can actually be re-frozen before or after cooking, though there may be a loss of moisture. If you're in a pinch, lamb can be defrosted in the microwave, or placed in a bowl of cold water (which should be replaced every 30 minutes).

Read More

16 of 16

Next: When Is New Year's Eve?

I first tasted potstickers in the late 1980s at the tiny Mandarin Deli in Los Angeles’s Chinatown. Behind the glass window, a dumpling maker steadily worked, rolling out thin wrappers, filling them, and creating large pea pod–shaped dumplings. I watched intently, distracted only when my fragrant pot stickers arrived. The hearty dumplings were so hot that I burned my mouth, but they were well worth the minor injury.

Potstickers supposedly started out as boiled dumplings that a chef forgot about in the wok (“guō”) and they stuck (“tiē”) after the water had cooked away. His guests loved the contrast between succulent filling, tender-chewy skin, and crusty bottom, and thus the potsticker was born. The modern way to mimic the chef’s delicious accident is to cook potstickers in a skillet with water and oil, which steams the dumplings and fries their bottoms to a golden, toasty finish. They are technically called jiānjiǎo in Chinese, which means shallow-fried dumplings; but in the West, we commonly know them as potstickers and panfried dumplings. “Fried” dumplings can be panfried or deep-fried.

Instructions

1To make the filling, combine the beef, Chinese chives, and ginger in a bowl. Use a fork or spatula to stir and lightly mash the ingredients so that they start commingling.

2In a small bowl, stir together the salt, white pepper, chicken stock, soy sauce, rice wine, canola oil, and sesame oil. Pour these seasonings over the beef mixture, then stir and fold the ingredients together. Once you have broken up the large chunks of beef, briskly stir to blend the ingredients into a cohesive, thick mixture. To develop the flavors, cover with plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes. You should have about 2 cups of filling. (The filling can be prepared 1 day ahead and refrigerated. Bring it to room temperature before assembling the dumplings.)

3Meanwhile, form 16 wrappers from half of the dough. Aim for wrappers that are about 3 1/4 inches in diameter.

4Before assembling the dumplings, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. (If you plan to refrigerate the dumplings for several hours or freeze them, lightly dust the paper with flour to avoid sticking.)

5For each dumpling, hold a wrapper in a slightly cupped hand. Scoop up about 1 tablespoon of filling with a bamboo dumpling spatula, dinner knife, or fork and position it slightly off-center toward the upper half of the wrapper, pressing and shaping it into a flat mound and keeping about 1/2 to 3/4 inch of wrapper clear on all sides. Fold, pleat, and press to enclose the filling and create half-moon, pea pod, or pleated crescent shapes. Place the finished dumpling on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the other wrappers, assembling the dumplings and spacing them a good 1/2 inch apart on the baking sheet. Keeping the finished dumplings covered with a dry kitchen towel, form and fill the wrappers from the remaining dough.

6Once all the dumplings are assembled, they can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for several hours; they can be cooked straight from the refrigerator. For longer storage, freeze them on their baking sheet until hard (about 1 hour), transfer them to a zip-top freezer bag, pressing out excess air before sealing, and keep them frozen for up to 1 month; partially thaw, using your finger to smooth over any cracks that may have formed during freezing, before cooking.

7To panfry the dumplings, use a medium or large nonstick skillet; if both sizes are handy, cook two batches at the same time. Heat the skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 1/2 tablespoons oil for a medium skillet and 2 tablespoons for a large one. Place the dumplings 1 at a time, sealed edges up, in a winding circle pattern. The dumplings can touch. (In general, medium skillets will fit 12 to 14 dumplings, large skillets will fit 16 to 18 dumplings.) Fry the dumplings for 1 to 2 minutes, until they are golden or light brown on the bottom.

8Holding the lid close to the skillet to lessen the dramatic effect of water hitting hot oil, use a kettle or measuring cup to add water to a depth of roughly 1/4 inch; expect to use about 1/3 cup of water. The water will immediately sputter and boil vigorously. Cover with a lid or aluminum foil, lower the heat to medium, and let the water bubble away for 8 to 10 minutes, until it is mostly gone. After 6 to 8 minutes, move the lid or foil so that it is slightly ajar to allow steam to shoot out from underneath. This lessens the drama of condensation dripping down onto to the hot oil when you remove the lid. When you hear sizzling noises (a sign that most of the water is gone), remove the lid. Let the dumplings fry for another 1 to 2 minutes, until the bottoms are brown and crisp. Turn off the heat and wait until the sizzling stops before using a spatula to transfer the dumplings to a serving plate. Display them with their bottoms facing up so that they remain crisp.

9Serve with the dipping sauce in a communal bowl for people to help themselves or divided up among individual rice bowls or large dipping sauce dishes. Eat these with chopsticks in one hand and a spoon or rice bowl in the other to catch any drips of dipping sauce or juices that spill out when you bite into the pot sticker.